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Ecclesiastical Mysteries
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Garden Room

This sub-genre was made famous by the Father Dowling mysteries by Ralph McInerny and by Harry Kemelman's "Rabbi" series.  In the titles on this list, the mysteries are solved by priests, nuns, or rabbi.  Ecclesiastical mysteries tend to be cozies, with the crime taking place "off stage."  The sleuths solve these crimes by using their brains, rather than muscle.


The following is a list of authors who fit into this category.  The titles in each series is given. If no link is given, the title is not available through any MVLC library. Please read one or more of these authors and/or titles, and come prepared to discuss your impressions of them with the group.


AUTHOR PROTAGONIST TITLE
Allen, Irene Elizabeth Elliot
(Quaker - set in Cambridge, MA)
Quaker Silence (1992)
Quaker Witness (1993)
Quaker Testimony (1995)
Quaker Indictment (1998)
Black, Veronica Sister Joan
(set in Cornwall)
A Vow of Silence (1990)
A Vow of Chastity (1992)
A Vow of Sanctity(1993)
A Vow of Obedience(1994)
A Vow of Penance (1994)
A Vow of Devotion(1995)
A Vow of Fidelity(1996)
A Vow of Poverty (1996)
A Vow of Adoration (1997)
A Vow of Compassion (1998)
Blake, Michelle Episcopalian Priest, Lily Connor
(set in Boston, MA)
The Tentmaker (1999)
Earth Has No Sorrow (2001)
The Book of Light (2003)
Clare, Alys Abbess Helewise
(Medieval England)
Fortune Like the Moon(1999)
The Tavern in the Morning (2000)
Ashes of the Elements (2001)
Coel, Margaret Fr. John O'Malley & Vicky Holden
(Jesuit Missionary - Wind River Reservation, Wyoming)
The Eagle Catcher (1995)
The Ghost Watcher
(1996 - Not Available)
The Dream Stalker (1997)
The Story Teller (1998)
The Lost Bird(1999)
The Spirit Woman (2000)
The Thunder Keeper (2001)
The Shadow Dancer(2002)
Killing Raven (2003)
Wife of Moon (2004)
Eye of the Wolf (2005)
The Drowning Man(2006)
Eco, Umberto Brother William of Baskerville
(In the year 1327)
The Name of the Rose (1994)
Frazer, Margaret Sister Frevisse
(Medieval Cornwall)
The Novice's Tale (1992)
The Servant's Tale (1993)
The Bishop's Tale(1994)
The Outlaw's Tale (1994)
The Boy's Tale (1995)
The Murderer's Tale (1996)
The Prioress' Tale (1997)
(1998)
The Reeve's Tale (2000)
The Squire's Tale (2000)
The Clerk's Tale (2002)
The Bastard's Tale (2003)
The Hunter's Tale (2004)
The Widow's Tale  (2005)
The Sempster's Tale (2006)
Gallison, Kate Mother Lavinia Grey
(Episcopal Priest - New Jersey)
Bury the Bishop (1995)
Unholy Angels (1996)
Devil's Workshop (1996)
Hasty Retreat (1997)
Grave Misgivings (1998)
Gaus, Paul Pastor Caleb Troyer
(Amish - set in Ohio)
Blood of the Prodigal (1999)
Broken English (2000)
Clouds with Rain
(2002 - Not Available)
Cast a Blue Shadow (2003)
A Prayer for the Night (2006)
Greeley, Andrew M. Fr. Blackie Ryan
(Catholic Bishop - set in Chicago)
Happy are the Meek(1986)
Happy are the Clean of Heart (1986)
Happy are Those Who Thirst for Justice (1987)
Happy are the Merciful (1992)
Happy are the Peace Makers (1993)
Happy are the Poor in Spirit (1994)
Happy Are Those Who Mourn (1995)
Happy are the Oppressed (1996)
(1997)
The Bishop and the Three Kings (1998)
The Bishop and the Missing L Train (2000)
The Bishop and the Beggar Girl of St. Germain (2001)
The Bishop in the West Wing(2002)
The Bishop Goes to the University (2003)
The Bishop in the Old Neighborhood (2005)
Harding, Paul Brother Athelstan
(14th century London)
The Nightingale Gallery (1992)
Red Slayer (1992)
Murder Most Holy
(1993 - Not Available)
The Anger of God
(1993 - Not Available)
By Murder's Bright Light
(1994 - Not Available)
The House of Crows

(1995 - Not Available)
The Assassin's Riddle
(1996 - Not Available)
The Devil's Domain
(1998 - Not Available)
The Field of Blood
(2000 - Not Available)
Harris, Lee Christine Bennett
(former nun - New York State)
The Good Friday Morning (1991)
The Yom Kippur Murder (1992)
The Christening Day Murder (1993)
The St. Patrick's Day Murder (1994)
The Christmas Night Murder (1994)
The Thanksgiving Day Murder (1995)
The Passover Murder (1996)
The Valentine's Day Murder (1997)
The New Year's Eve Murder (1997)
The Labor Day Murder (1998)
The Father's Day Murder (1999)
The Mother's Day Murder (2000)
The April Fool's Day Murder (2001)
The Happy Birthday Murder (2002)
The Bar Mitzvah Murder (2003)
The Silver Anniversary Murder (2005)
Holland, Isabelle Reverend Claire Aldington
(Episcopal Priest - New York)
The Lost Madonna(1981)
A Death at St. Anselm's (1984)
Flight of the Archangel (1985)
A Lover Scorned(1986)
A Fatal Advent(1989)
The Long Search (1990)
Irvine, Robert R. Moroni Traveler
(Mormon - Set in Salt Lake City)
Baptism for the Dead(1988)
The Angel's Share(1989)
Gone to Glory(1990)
The Spoken Word (1992)
The Great Reminder (1993)
The Hosanna Shout (1994)
Pillar of Fire (1995)
Joseph, Alison Sister Agnes Bourdillon
(Catholic nun - England)
Sacred Hearts (1996)
Hour of Our Death (1997)
Kahn, Sharon Ruby Rothman
(Rabbi's widow)
Fax Me a Bagel (1998)
(2000)
Don't Cry for Me, Hot Pastrami (2001)
Hold the Cream Cheese, Kill the Lox (2002)
Kellerman, Faye Rina Lazarus & Peter Decker
(Los Angeles - Yeshiva)
The Ritual Bath (1986)
Sacred and Profane (1987)
Milk and Honey (1990)
Day of Atonement (1991)
False Prophet(1992)
Grievous Sin (1993)
Sanctuary (1994)
Justice (1995)
Prayers for the Dead (1996)
Serpent's Tooth (1998)
Jupiter's Bones (2000)
Stalker (2001)
The Forgotten (2001)
Stone Kiss(2002)
Street Dreams(2003)
False Prophet(2005)
Kemelman, Harry Rabbi David Small Friday, the Rabbi Slept Late (1964)
Saturday, the Rabbi Went Hungry (1966)
Sunday, the Rabbi Stayed Home">Sunday, the Rabbi Stayed Home (1969)
Monday, the Rabbi Took Off (1972)
Tuesday, the Rabbi Saw Red (1973)
Wednesday, the Rabbi Got Wet (1976)
Thursday, the Rabbi Walked Out (1978)
Conversations with Rabbi Small (1981)
Someday, the Rabbi Will Leave (1984)
One Fine Day, the Rabbi Bought a Cross(1987)
The Day the Rabbi Resigned(1992)
The Day the Rabbi Left Town  (1996)
Kienzle, William X Father Koesler
(set in Detroit)
The Rosary Murders (1979)
Death Wears a Red Hat (1980)
Mind Over Murder (1981)
Assault with Intent(1982)
Shadow of Death (1983)
Kill and Tell (1984)
Sudden Death(1985)
Deathbed (1986)
Deadline for a Critic (1987)
Marked for Murder (1988)
Eminence(1989)
Masquerade (1990)
Chemeleon (1991)
Body Count(1992)
Dead Wrong(1993)
Bishop as Pawn (1994)
Call No Man Father(1995)
Requiem for Moses (1996)
The Man Who Loved God (1997)
The Greatest Evil(1998)
No Greater Love (1999)
Till Death (2000)
The Sacrifice (2001)
The Gathering (2002)
Love, William F. Bishop Regan & Davey Goldman
(set in New York City)
The Chartreuse Clue (1990)
The Fundamentals of Murder (1991)
Bloody Ten (1992)
Bishop's Revenge (1993)
McInerney, Ralph Fr. Dowling
(set in Illinois)
Her Death of Cold (1977)
The Seventh Station(1977)
Bishop as Pawn (1978)
Lying Three (1979)
Second Vespers (1980)
Thicker than Water (1981)
A Loss of Patience
(1982 - Not Available)
The Grass Widow (1983)
Getting Away with Murder
(1984 - Not Available)
Rest in Pieces(1985)
The Basket Case (1987)
Abracadaver (1989)
Four on the Floor (1989)
Judas Priest(1991)
Desert Sinner (1992)
Seed of Doubt(1993)
A Cardinal Offense (1994)
The Tears of Things (1996)
Grave Undertakings (2000)
Triple Pursuit (2001)
Prodigal Father (2002)
Last Things(2003)
Requiem for a Realtor (2004)
Blood Ties (2005)
The Prudence of the Flesh (2006)
Manuel, David Brother Bartholomew
(Cape Cod)
A Matter of Diamonds (2000)
A Matter of Roses (2001)
A Matter of Time (2002)
A Matter of Principal
(2003 - Not Available)
Munnings, Clare Rosemary Stubbs
(College Chaplain - Vermont)
Overnight Float (2000)
Newman, Sharan Catherine LaVendeur
(novice - 12th Century France)
Death Comes as Epiphany (1993)
The Devil's Door(1994)
The Wandering Arm (1995)
Strong As Death (1996)
Cursed in Blood(1998)
The Difficult Saint(1999)
To Wear the White Cloak(2000)
Heresy (2002)
The Outcast Dove (2003)
The Witch in the Well(2004)
O'Marie, Carol Anne Sister Mary Helen
(set in California)
A Novena for Murder (1984)
Advent of Dying(1986)
The Missing Madonna (1988)
Murder in Ordinary Time (1991)
Murder Makes a Pilgrimage (1993)
Death Goes on Retreat(1995)
Death of an Angel (1997)
Death Takes Up a Collection (1998)
Requiem at the Refuge (2000)
The Corporal Works of Murder (2002)
Peters, Elizabeth Brother Cadfael
(12th century England)
A Morbid Taste for Bones (1977)
One Corpse Too Many (1979)
Monks-hood (1980)
Saint Peter's Fair (1981)
The Virgin in the Ice (1982)
THe Sanctuary Sparrow (1983)
The Devil's Novice (1983)
THe Leper of Saint Giles (1985)
Quill, Monica
(pseudonym of Ralph McInerny)
Sister Mary Teresa
(set in Chicago)
Not a Blessed Thing!
(1981 - Not Available)
Let Us Prey (1982)
And then there was Nun (1984)
Nun of the Above (1985)
Sine qua Nun(1986)
The Veil of Ignorance (1988)
Sister Hood (1991)
Nun Plussed (1993)
Half Passed Nun (1997)
Reynolds, Brad S.J. Father Mark Townsend
(set in Northwest U.S. & Alaska)
The Story Knife(1996)
A Ritual Death (1997)
Deadly Harvest
(1999 - Not Available)
Cruel Sanctuary (1999)
Royal, Pricsilla Prioress Eleanor of Tyndal
(Medieval England)
Wine of Violence (2003)
Tyrant of the Mind(2004)
Sorrow without End(2006)
Spencer-Fleming, Julia Reverend Clare Fergusson
(Episcopalian Priest - New York State)
In the Bleak Midwinter(2002)
A Fountain Filled with Blood (2003)
Out of the Deep I Cry (2004)
To Darkness and to Death (2005)
All Mortal Flesh(2006)
Sullivan, Winona Sister Cecile
(Boston, Massachusetts)
A Sudden Death at the Norfolk Cafe (1993)
Dead South(1996)
Death's a Beach (1998)
Saving Death (2000 - Not Available)
Thurlo, Aimee & David Sister Agatha Bad Faith (2002)
Tremayne, Peter Sister Fidelma
(7th century Ireland)
Absolution by Murder (1994)
Shroud for the Archbishop (1995)
Suffer Little Children (Not Available)
The Subtle Serpent (1996)
The Spider's Web (1997)
Valley of the Shadow (1998)
The Monk Who Vanished (1999)
Act of Mercy (2000)
Our Lady of Darkness (2000)
The Haunted Abbot (2002)
Smoke in the Wind (2003)
Badger's Moon (2005)
The Leper's Bell (2006)
Robb, Candace Owen Archer
(Investigator for the Archbishop - Medieval - Great Britain)
The Apothecary Rose (1993)
The Lady Chapel (1994)
The Nun's Tale (1995)
The King's Bishop (1996)
The Riddle of St. Leonard (1997)
A Gift of Sanctuary (1998)
A Spy for the Redeemer (2002)
The Cross-Legged Knight (2003)
Woodworth, Deborah Sister Rose Callahan
(Shaker Village - Kentucky)
Death of a Winter Shaker (1997)
A Deadly Shaker Spring (1998)
Sins of a Shaker Summer (1999)
A Simple Shaker Murder(2000)
Killing Gifts (2001)



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